1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to strips of soft metal foil, in particular ornamental strips having a length between 30 and 80 cm. and a width of from 1 to 5 mm. In particular the invention involves the production of strips intended for use as tinsel, for ornamental decoration of Christmas trees or other objects.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97-1.99
It is known to produce ornamental tinsel strips of a type having a shiny, silvery surface, from pure tin foil, or from a lead foil or an aluminum foil having on both sides a tin coating or plating.
In the case of pure tin, the material cost is considered relatively high. In addition, the manufacture of foil constituted of pure tin has a distinct drawback in that the foil does not have sufficient tear strength to withstand manual application of the foil to a Christmas tree, for example. Also, such pure tin strips do not produce the desired "hanging" or "draped" effect or appearance. Instead, they tend to wrinkle and become entangled with one another.
Strips constituted of aluminum foil, which are less expensive and have recently won preference as compared to those of tin, often do not provide the desired, pleasing appearance when suspended, because the aluminum strips are generally too stiff. Since the density of aluminum is considerably less than that of tin, the smooth, drooping characteristic of tin strips is lacking in their aluminum counterparts.
Moreover, strips constituted of aluminum tended to be flimsy, and susceptible to sudden movements or dislodgement from the tree branches, as for example, when experiencing even small drafts arising as from a door being opened or a person walking by.
In addition to tinsel constituted of tin or aluminum, lead foils have been produced, provided on both sides with a 2% tin coating. The more widely used tinsel at present consists of such tin-coated lead strips of approximately 25 um. thickness. Such lead strips, when suspended from a branch, provide the desired appearance. In view of their relatively large thickness, they possess good resistance against tearing or breakage. However, due to its toxicity, lead is considered undesirable for use in the home, especially where multiple strips characterized by a large total surface area are employed. Under such circumstances, where the strips are used repeatedly, the tin coating eventually suffers abrasion, and the underlying lead surface thus becomes exposed.